(I apparently have gotten a Japanese unit, which is why it's "Logicool" G700)

Introduction

Logitech has come a long way in terms of wireless peripherals. Starting with the acclaimed G7, Logitech has continued to get their wireless mouse to reach response parity with their wired counterparts, but this road has not been easy.

The predecessor of G700, the G7, was derived from the MX700 mouse, which was one of the first wireless optical mouse that can boast high response, yet neither G7 nor its predecessor MX700 have truly quelled the doubts toward using a wireless mouse for gaming purposes, despite the fact they cemented the coming of age for wireless mouse in productivity use. MX700 and G7 both set a blueprint for performance wireless mouse, by having removable battery bay and recharging support. They diverged in G7 using proprietary Lithium-ion pack while MX700 feeding on 2x AA, with the first form factor finding its way into various Logitech mouse such as MX1000 and MX Revolution desktop wireless (with that battery pack embedded and cannot be swapped).

Having said that, a truly wireless gaming mouse that would boast the latest laser tracking has been long in coming. By this point in time, Logitech would prove to have no lead in beating the competition to a wireless gaming mouse, as Razer released the Mamba and Microsoft with the Sidewinder X8. However, Logitech hasn't been idle and G7 in its completed form shows all the little innovations that have come before it being refined in this one mouse, making it a damn interesting mouse.

Overview

Logitech G700 is an inheritor of many mice that have preceded it. Let us go through the features and it quickly becomes evident.

1. Setpoint. The setpoint application has finally become something that isn't so terrible. The earlier setpoint could only become of worth by resorting to 3rd party additions such as uberoptions, but that is no longer the case. Setpoint can finally handle macro programming and button remapping for every single last one of the buttons, and allow for profile storage onboard the mouse itself. Having this ability means that Logitech has finally tackled its Achilles heel.

2. Horizontal hyper-scroll. This feature debuted on the MX Revolution and it has proven itself invaluable. Logitech has chosen the VX Revolution mechanical toggle approach with G700, which suits gamer population better. The horizontal hyper scroll wheel is Logitech's pride and joy, and to be honest, a vital selling point.

3. Texture and mouse feet. The grips aren't rubberized, but instead is rough plastic mold, which better addresses wear and tear. The feet are large sized teflon coated surface which are less prone to falling off due to the virtue of the larger contact area to alleviate pressure exerted onto them during use.

4. Wired/wireless convertable mouse, with hot swappable 1x AA battery with detachable USB charging cable. This perhaps is the most important feature of all. All of the recent wireless gaming mouse boast being hot swappable, but G700 is different. This mouse uses standard AA bay, is now finally light enough to be practical since it takes only 1 battery. This Single AA battery makes massive difference for the G700 since hot swapping the mouse on the field is now entirely possible, with no need to worry about availability of proprietary battery packs. Sidewinder X8 boasts this as well.

The charging mechanics are similar between Mamba, the X8 and G700, with only one major difference. There is no charging dock or the hockey puck that doubles as receiver with G700. G700 uses the same form factor receiver wise as their Unifying receiver, and the receiver can be stored on the go in the battery compartment. All recharging would be done by USB cable instead.

Feature wise, G700 is most closely approximated by the X8. Ergonomically however, it competes against the slick Mamba.

Impression

I am now using this mouse. The mouse feels like a coming of age product. The form factor takes from the MX Revolution and the Performance Mouse MX, while the buttons taken from G series design. The manual toggle for the horizontal scroll is welcomed, and so far, I think that Logitech has finally done it. I will add to this more as I start to play with macros and whatnot, but so far Setpoint has been ok and not being... a total pain in the rear to work with.

Update1: The mouse does not experience the microstuttering problem that was reported with the Mamba. This mouse also is very steady. There is no longer the startup lag that still plagues the MX Revolution. The transition from wireless to wired is fluid with no downtime really. Unplugging the USB cable is very straightforward. The receiver is designed to be a plug in and forget solution, with minimal footprint.

Update2: The profiles really have been helpful. Having this feature adds alot of power to the mouse since you can change the profiles on the fly. This in conjunction with macro makes the mouse more capable than the Razer Naga in MMO.

Tinytacohead

January 14, 2012 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by panzerfan
(Post 422872)

...The earlier setpoint could only become of worth by resorting to 3rd party additions such as uberoptions, but that is no longer the case...

I realize I'm both grave-digging & being somewhat nitpicky here, but this review's pretty high up on the returned search list when Googling G700 & Uberoptions together.. I bought a G700 to replace my very well used, and liked, G5. Unfortunately it was both showing its age in appearance, and function, plus I really wanted a few extra buttons, not to mention the "convertible" USB cable. (ALL input devices should be made this way, even if they don't function when unplugged!) Sadly I have two issues with it that have me wondering if I'd prefer another G5/something else instead..

1. Setpoint STILL doesn't allow you to differentiate between left and right Ctrl buttons, which can be a major headache for gamers such as myself. Furthermore, it seems the G700 isn't supported by Uberoptions, which allowed such distinction of buttons when paired with a G5.

2. My second quabble is with button action. I like mine to have a distinct click feel to them. Not only is the action of my G700's buttons so light that sometimes I'm unsure if I actually hit one, but all four are positioned slightly too far back. (when compared to a G5) When you combine how far the bottom two thumb buttons are recessed in from the pair above it, and the super-light button action, they become even easier to press without knowing it. Compared to my G5, the tilt action of the scroll wheel is both much to stiff & also made slippery, due to the smooth metal finish. On a totally unrelated note, I now realize I much prefer braided USB cords as well. (like the G5's)

I'm hoping I can get used to the G700 enough to give it a worthy lifespan, but thought the above to be issues anybody moving from a G5 might want to know. Also, if anybody can help me out with the Uberoption issue mentioned, it'd be greatly appreciated! Ooh, and for whatever reason, TeamSpeak 3 doesn't seem to recognize some of the buttons, no matter what keys I set them to within Setpoint. :angry2: